


Reconnaissance

by disdainfreely



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, but it might take a minute, they're going to get there
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-19 17:50:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20213830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/disdainfreely/pseuds/disdainfreely
Summary: Barricade is overworked. Definitely overworked. So Soundwave calls in a new mech to help.Barricade is less than pleased with the mech he's chosen.





	Reconnaissance

Barricade returns to base and drops Frenzy off with Soundwave before starting the trudge back to his habsuite. He’s so exhausted that even the brief walk to his room is almost too much. Worse, he really should hit the washracks but the thought of standing for one more moment is unbearable.

Unfortunately, not hitting the washracks means that his berth is going to end up covered in mud. So he sighs and makes a detour for the washracks. They’re blessedly empty and Barricade’s engine rumbles in satisfaction as hot solvent beats down on his plating. His doorwings shiver and his plating flares to let the dirt and grime from the road run down and off of him. The warmth is enough to have him almost dozing off standing up. He jolts awake at a massive hand settling on his shoulder.

“Sorry. Looked like you were about to fall over.”

Barricade looks up blearily, both sets of his optics struggling to focus. The mech towering over him is a copter, as evidenced by the rotors twitching behind him.

“I’m fine,” Barricade insists, only just now noticing that the solvent stopped. He must have really fallen asleep.

“Yeah sure. Let’s dry you off and get you to your bunk.”

“I’m really fine,” Barricade continues to insist. 

“Yeah, that’s why I’ve got Soundwave harping at me over comms to get you back to your hab. What’d you do to get Soundwave so attached anyway?”

The mech doesn’t wait for an answer before the hands settle on his arms again and steer him out from under the shower head and into the path of the dryer. Barricade’s plating fluffs out instinctively at the heat and then he’s being maneuvered out of the washracks and down the hall.

Barricade wants to protest the manhandling, but he’s exhausted and if Soundwave sent the mech, he probably won’t be murdered.

Probably.

They’re confronted by an obstacle in the form of his own habsuite door. Barricade is too tired to remember his own code.

After a long moment of staring, with the massive mech looming patiently behind him, the door clicks open without Barricade having entered anything.

So Soundwave is still watching.

The mech nudges him inside and onto his bunk, ignoring the warning growl of Barricade’s engine. Just because the mech got him back to the room intact doesn’t mean Barricade wants him to stay.

“Yeah, yeah. Go to sleep.”

A blanket falls over Barricade and he’s out like a light. 

Waking up from such a desperately-needed recharge is a slow and uncomfortable process. It’s made worse by the giggling he can hear by his feet. 

Despite his best efforts, Barricade has never been able to keep Soundwave’s cassettes from breaking into his hab. He has a feeling he could ask Soundwave, but that certainly wouldn’t stop them breaking in on Soundwave’s behalf.

“Hey, you’re awake!” Barricade sits up just enough to get an armful of eager cassettes.

“How long have you two been awake?”

“Soundwave sent us to get you. Said there was someone you were supposed to meet. But then he said to let you sleep so we’ve just been waiting,” Rumble says.

Barricade sighs and sits up fully. “Alright, we shouldn’t keep your carrier waiting. Where is he?”

“Conference Room A,” the cassettes say in unison.

Barricade sighs again and doesn’t object when the cassettes both ping for permission to dock. Once they’re both settled in his chest, settled being a relative term for the rambunctious twins, Barricade can actually go to meet Soundwave and whoever it is he’s supposed to be meeting. It’s easy to relax into the familiar pulse of the cassettes docked comfortably in near his spark. Despite not having any cassettes of his own, he does really want them. His spark has just never split. Luckily enough, Soundwave has a large enough brood for three hosts and needs about as much help.

Hopefully he’ll have time to refuel before whatever Soundwave wants him to do.

When he enters the conference room, he’s greeted by a nod from Soundwave and a familiar glint of his visor that says he knows where Rumble and Frenzy are. Barricade nods to him in return and looks over at the room’s other occupant. Presumably this is the mech Soundwave wants him to meet. Rumble and Frenzy are practically vibrating in his chest in a way that makes him nervous. Whatever has them so excited is definitely something to be concerned about.

“Barricade, this is Blackout. You’ve met,” Soundwave says. 

Barricade frowns and looks over at this mysterious mech. He doesn’t exactly look familiar, but Barricade has definitely seen him before. He looks the mech over. Huge mech, vivid red optics, paint job matte black. Rotors. 

Rotors?

Oh no.

Barricade has to focus to keep his doorwings from flinching.

The mech from the washracks last night. 

He’d been half-convinced that it had been some weird dream.

“Good to meet you when you aren’t about to keel over.” Blackout rumbles his engine amusedly. 

“Likewise.” Barricade’s armor puffs up.

Soundwave ignores the exchange. “Blackout is newly assigned to assist with reconnaissance and intelligence.”

Barricade’s first reaction is defensiveness. “I’ve been handling all of that and I have been handling it.” He feels Rumble and Frenzy radiating awkwardness in his chest. They never like when he disagrees with their carrier.

Soundwave’s visor flashes. “As demonstrated by your exhaustion yesterday, you require aid. Blackout is uniquely suited to do so.”

“And what makes him so well suited?” Barricade demands. He releases Rumble and Frenzy when they demand it and lets them run back to Soundwave.

“He can explain his own qualifications,” Blackout cuts in. Soundwave leans back as if to indicate that he should continue.

“Alright then. Let’s hear them,” Barricade says, folding his arms.

“I can cover more ground than you can and I can knock out power from a distance. Built-in EMP.” Blackout grins in open defiance of Barricade’s scowl. “I can also handle subterranean surveillance.”

Said scowl deepens. “What, are you a triple-changer too?”

“Nope. I’ve got some help.” Blackout’s rotors shift and Barricade is greeted by a happy chirping as a symbiote appears over Blackout’s shoulder, waving a barbed tail and drill pincers. “This is Scorponok.”

Barricade nods in greeting and tries to hide his surprise. It’s relatively unusual to be a host and also an aerial frame.

“I have your assignments prepared,” Soundwave says before any more barbs can be traded.

Barricade accepts the ping of information from Soundwave. The assignments are less arduous than his previous while still covering more ground with Blackout’s ability to fly. Practically, there’s nothing to complain about, but he’s still bristling.

“We start tomorrow?” Blackout asks, clearly looking over the schedule that Soundwave has pinged him as well.

“Yes. First shift.” Soundwave stands. “Dismissed.” He departs without another word. Barricade stares at Blackout across the table.

“So you’re a host too?” Blackout asks.

“Yes, with none of my own.” Barricade shrugs a little. “I help Soundwave with his five.”

“Five?” Blackout looks faintly astonished.

“I know.” Barricade’s door wings wave slightly. Soundwave has a ridiculously large brood for any one host to have sparked and raised alone.

“So what, is he building a network of hosts here? Not like there are that many of us.” Blackout stands, Scorponok cradled in the crook of his arm.

Barricade stands too. “I have no idea.” He’s still not thrilled at the idea of sharing his work, but if it has to be with someone, Blackout doesn’t seem like the worst option.

“Hey, Barricade,” Blackout rumbles as they leave the conference room.

Barricade looks up at him. He really has to strain his neck to do it too. Blackout is twice his height.

“You’re pretty cute when you’re tired and dopey.” The massive copter grins and heads off down the hallway, leaving him there fuming, the sound of his heavy steps fading as he turns the corner. 

Barricade growls. 

He takes back any less-than-hostile thoughts. 

Blackout is the worst.


End file.
